Foldup food holder

ABSTRACT

A foldup food holder made of stiff paperboard provides a base panel; a first side panel; a second side panel; a first end panel; a second end panel; a first tab; and a second tab; the side panels joined with the base panel; the end panels joined contiguously with and extensive from the side panels. The tabs are extensive from and joined contiguously with the end panels so that the tabs are positioned for engaging slots in the side panels when the apparatus is folded into a food holder or container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Present Disclosure

This disclosure relates generally to food holders and particularly to a paper folded food holder for hand held food products such as sandwiches and tacos.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

Kohan, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 263,786, discloses a design for a taco shell holder. Richards, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 278,199, discloses a design for a taco holder or the like. Alsup, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 309,084, discloses a design for a taco shell holder. Asner, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 350,671, discloses a design for a taco holder. Cherney, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 377,584, discloses a design for a bagel holder. Morales, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 383,589, discloses a design for a fish shaped taco shell. Cherney et al., U.S. Des. Pat. No. 395,201, discloses a design for a bagel holder. Zietz et al., U.S. Des. Pat. No. 467,121, discloses a design for a taco shell holder. Epstein, U.S. Pat. No. 3,446,416, discloses a sandwich holder comprising: an elongated foldable tray member adapted to lie flat when unfolded, the member including a pair of end bellows elements the tray member being stored along an axis between and parallel to elongated side edges thereof; a foldable side member extending from one elongated side of the tray; and a second foldable side member extending from the other elongated side of the tray. Putt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,660, discloses a holder for supporting comestible products such as tacos or the like that includes an elongate, generally U-shaped carrier. The carrier is made of an opaque, plastic material susceptible of injection molding. In one embodiment, the carrier is supported atop a stand having a plurality of legs of generally equal length, at least one leg being disposed at opposite ends of the carrier. The legs and the carrier are arranged such that a plurality of the holders may be stacked to facilitate compact storage. In another embodiment, a plurality of carriers are aligned atop, and secured to, a legged stand. The stand includes a planar sheet supported at an angle to the horizontal by first and second legs extending outwardly of the planar sheet. The first and second legs are of different lengths and extend outwardly of the sheet at different angles. The stand includes a plurality of slots into which portions of another holder can be fitted to permit compact storage. Yet another embodiment of the invention comprises a free standing holder in which the bottom of the carrier rests atop a flat surface without the need for a stand or other support. Thomas, U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,645, discloses an improved one-piece construction for taco shell holders, wherein, the holders are provided with a unique three legged support structure that allows the holders to be used in either a stand alone configuration or inserted into complementary recesses formed in a serving tray element specifically designed for use in combination with the taco holders. Fournier, U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,010, discloses a box of card stock for packaging a predetermined number of food items, such as taco shells and related filling materials, is convertible by the consumer into a tray for holding at least one such food item after preparation and carrying same from stove to table. The box has perforated score line means along which portions of the box are separable from each other to produce the tray, exposing at least one recess shaped to hold the prepared item. The tray has a base that cooperates with the recess to hold the prepared item in a stable upright position. Alsup, U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,566, discloses a taco shell holder that has a bottom support surface from which project a pair of oppositely-disposed side walls diverging away from each other. Each side wall is in the shape of a trapezoid and defines an upper edge sloping downwardly from front to rear to accommodate partially-eaten taco shells. A pair of oppositely-disposed, triangular brace walls are provided forwardly to allow the holder to be self-supporting. Harrington, U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,820, discloses a taco holder that is formed from a blank cut from a sheet of paperboard material. The blank has a first pair of parallel fold lines across the mid-portion and a second pair of fold lines near the side edges so that they can be folded up to form feet. Perforated polygons extending across the parallel lines can be folded to lock the taco holder in position to receive tacos, which are supported on the side panels while being made up and while being heated, as in a microwave oven. Martin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,704, discloses a taco holder wherein a blank is provided with a central region and four legs extending outwardly from the central region, a pair of adjacent legs on each side of the central region. Each leg is in the shape of a right triangle with each leg being secured to the central region at a crease. Each leg includes a notch at a portion thereof remote from the central region, a pair of legs on opposite sides of the central region being opposed to each other whereby the notches therein can mate and form a V-shaped trough. Two such V-shaped troughs are thereby formed to support a taco therein. An adhesive material can be disposed on a surface of the central region to secure the taco holder to a table or the like to free the hands of the taco maker and also to prevent sliding of the taco during preparation or eating thereof. Conder, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,870, discloses a holder for supporting a taco shell in an upright position to prevent spillage of foodstuffs contained within the shell. The holder includes a base portion and a support portion which are shaped to resemble a Mexican sombrero. The holder is also designed for compact storage. Mooney, U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,330, discloses a pan for baking taco shells in an oven for holding the baked shells while filling and serving. The pan has a plurality of elongate parallel tapered ridges with troughs between the ridges. The inverted shell is placed astride a ridge. As the shell is pushed onto the tapered ridge it is gradually opened up. It is held in this open position during baking and retains this open configuration when turned upright and seated in a trough where it is fully supported during filling and serving. At each end of the trough, a stop element slopes upward from the bottom of the trough. It is high enough to retain any spilled contents in the trough as well as preventing the tacos from sliding off the pan when tilted. The stop element also serves to facilitate grasping of the filled taco from below by gradually lifting up the taco as it is slid along the trough and over the stop element. Baze, U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,245, discloses an apparatus for forming tortillas into baked, oil-free taco shells. The invention may also be used to retain the shape of commercially prepared pre-formed fried taco shells during their reheating, and to hold baked or reheated taco shells during their filling and serving. The apparatus has a series of linear, parallel spaced crests in the shape of inverted, round bottomed “V”s, with such dimensions as to make a form corresponding to an inverted, taco shell shape. The crests have a plurality of perforations to allow for a uniform and rapid forming and baking of the tortillas upon the crests. Prouix, U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,168, discloses a holder for a taco shell that is formed with a taco shell receiving trough which is adapted for supporting a taco shell substantially upright. The taco shell receiving trough is defined by a narrow longitudinal support base panel having opposed longitudinal spaced-apart straight edges. An outwardly inclined rectangular side wall panel extends from each of the straight edges to form a substantially V-shaped receiving trough. A brace panel of rectangular shape extends from a straight top edge of each of the side wall panels and extends at an outward angle therefrom to a flat, surface engaging, support foot lying in a substantially common or parallel plane with the support base panel. A composite bottom connecting wall maintains the support base panel, the side wall panels, the brace panels and the support feet in a taco support position. Enyedy et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,278, discloses a holder for tacos and the like comprised of semi-rigid material. The holder has a generally triangular configuration, with upwardly convergent first and second side walls extending from a generally horizontal base portion. The two side walls are joined at the top of the holder to form a triangular structure. Upwardly opening slots are formed in the side walls. Each of the slots has a curved base to accommodate tacos. To accommodate individual servings, the holder is separable along a line of weakness. To facilitate incorporation of the holder into a meal kit, in one embodiment, the holder can be folded in a flat configuration with the base folded upward between the side walls.

The related art described above discloses food holders of various types. The Martin reference, for instance, discloses that a food holder may be folded from a flat paper form. However, Martin fails to support a food product all around it and especially at its ends where foodstuffs may tend to disengage and fall out. Harrington and Alsup suffer from the same problem. Epstein provides an improved holder, but fails to give access to the food product from the side and fails to significantly support the ends. The present disclosure distinguishes over the prior art by providing support all around the food product placed within and gives side access for picking the food product up from the holder more easily.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.

A foldup food holder made of stiff paperboard provides a base panel; a first side panel; a second side panel; a first end panel; a second end panel; a first tab; and a second tab; the side panels joined with the base panel; the end panels joined contiguously with and extensive from the side panels. The tabs are extensive from and joined contiguously with the end panels so that the tabs are positioned for engaging slots in the side panels when the apparatus is folded into a food holder or container.

A primary objective inherent in the above described apparatus and method of use is to provide advantages not taught by the prior art.

Another objective is to provide an easily die-cut and folded-up food holder, as for instance for tacos and other sandwiches that may easily fall apart while holding and eating them.

A further objective is to provide such a food holder that is easily folded and formed into a stable configuration that may be placed on a surface without falling over.

A still further objective is to provide such a food holder that is easily folded and formed into a stable configuration that is easily handled and provides improved access to a food product placed therein.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying

Illustrated in the accompanying drawing(s) is at least one of the best mode embodiments of the present invention In such drawing(s):

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the presently described apparatus in a first and a second embodiments respectively;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are plan views thereof as die cuts in the flat;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a third embodiment of the apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is a folded-up view of the embodiment of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above described drawing figures illustrate the described apparatus and its method of use in at least one of its preferred, best mode embodiment, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications what is described herein without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, it must be understood that what is illustrated is set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as a limitation in the scope of the present apparatus and method of use.

Described now in detail is a foldup food holder apparatus preferably made from stiff paper stock and configured by die cutting into an elementary flat shape as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 as three embodiments. Each of the three embodiments is then able to be folded into a usefull food holder as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 respectively. In presenting numeral reference numbers below, several of the elements of this invention are denoted by primes as: single prime (′) and double prime (″). When an otherwise primed numeral is shown without a prime it shall refer to both or either of the same numeral with the primes.

A base panel 5; a first side panel 10′; a second side panel 10″; a first end panel 12′; a second end panel 12″; a first tab 14′; and a second tab 14″ comprise the several portions of the elementary flat shape produced by the due cutting operation. The side panels 10 are each joined contiguously with the base panel 5, while the end panels 12 are joined contiguously with, and are extensive from (extend outwardly from) one or both of the side panels 10. Each one of the tabs 14 is extensive from and joined contiguously with one of the end panels 12, and the tabs 14 are positioned for engaging slots 20 in the side panels 10 when the apparatus is folded into a food holder. See FIGS. 1, 2 and 6.

In one embodiment, the end panels 12 are in opposing positions on only one of the side panels 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, while in a second embodiment, the first end panel 12′ is joined with the first side panel 10′, and the second end panel 12″ is joined with the second side panel 10″ as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Clearly other alternatives may be employed in which essentially similar food holders are created.

Preferably, score lines 30, or scores, define joints, otherwise described as locations where the several panels and tabs join each other. These score lines 30 enable folding of the apparatus into a food holder conformation. The scoring of paper stocks and the folding of paper stock along such score lines is well known in the art.

In the preferred embodiment, at least one of the tabs 14 has an outwardly extensive hook-shaped portion 15, as shown in FIGS. 3 or 4. The hook-shaped portions 15 are inserted into slots 20 to hold the apparatus in it intended conformation as a food holder, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Alternately, as shown in FIG. 5, the tabs 14 may combine an outwardly directed primary rounded portion 16 which takes the place of the hook-shaped portion 15, with a rounded slit 17 defining an inclusive secondary rounded portion 18. These primary and secondary rounded portions 16 and 18 are advantageously engaged with a pair of the slots 20 which are in spaced apart positions on the side panels 10 so that the primary and secondary rounded portions 16 and 18 hold the apparatus folded into its intended food holder conformation as shown in FIG. 6.

Preferably, the side panels 10 are formed with a V-shaped upper edge 11 providing improved lateral access to the apparatus for lifting a food product 2 out of the apparatus to take a bite and to then replace the food product 2.

The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over the prior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of at least one aspect of the apparatus and its method of use and to the achievement of the above described objectives. The words used in this specification to describe the instant embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word or words describing the element.

The definitions of the words or drawing elements described herein are meant to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements described and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim.

Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope intended and its various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. This disclosure is thus meant to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what incorporates the essential ideas.

The scope of this description is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that each named inventor believes that the claimed subject matter is what is intended to be patented. 

1. A foldup food holder apparatus comprising: a base panel; a first side panel; a second side panel; a first end panel; a second end panel; a first tab; and a second tab; the side panels each joined contiguously with the base panel; the end panels joined contiguously with and extensive from at least one of the side panels; each one of the tabs extensive from and joined contiguously with one of the end panels, the tabs positioned for engaging slots in at least one of the side panels when the apparatus is folded into a food holder, whereby the apparatus is secured in a preferred conformation.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the end panels are in opposing positions on one of the side panels.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first end panel is joined with the first side panel and the second end panel is joined with the second side panel.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising score lines defining joints between the panels and tabs, the score lines enabling folding of the apparatus into a food holder.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the tabs has a outwardly extensive hook-shaped portion.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the tabs has an outwardly extensive primary portion with a rounded edge.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein at least one of the tabs has a rounded slit defining an inclusive secondary rounded portion; at least one of the side panels providing a pair of the slots in spaced apart positions wherein the primary and secondary portions of the tabs are engaged when the apparatus is folded into a food holder.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the side panels are formed with a V-shaped upper edge providing improved lateral access. 